PORT TOWNSEND — Former Jefferson County Commissioner Larry Dennison and Jerry Spieckerman, a retiree active in community service, have applied for appointment to the Jefferson County Public Utility commissioner seat left vacant when Dana Roberts died in November.

Three other applicants

They join three other applicants — journalist and former government planner Barney Burke, former port commissioner and city councilman Bob Sokol and Team Jefferson economic development council Chairman Bill Wise — who have also applied for the seat that remaining PUD commissioners Wayne King and Ken McMillen must fill by mid-January.

“My interest will carry over to the election campaign, which I would expect to enter,” Dennison wrote in his application to the PUD commissioners.

Candidates can officially declare for the seat when the election campaign filing period opens in June.

Running in November

So far, three of the five candidates have expressed interest in possibly running for the opening next November.

Dennison served as a county commissioner in 1984-1992.

He has also served on the now-defunct Jefferson County Economic Development Council, the Port Townsend Planning Commission, Jefferson General Hospital planning committee, Hood Canal Coordinating Council, Jefferson Land Trust and the North Olympic Salmon Coalition.

He has owned shoe repair, candle and barbecue businesses in Port Townsend.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1969 in business administration from the University of Oklahoma at Norman and was educated in mediation, negotiation and conflict resolution at Antioch University in Seattle.

Spieckerman, a career sales engineer who retired two years ago after owning advanced materials and components supplier Marketech International in Port Townsend, said he has looked for additional opportunities to serve the community.

“I consider the opportunity to be appointed a PUD commissioner as a way to utilize my work, education, and prior experience to further my served to Jefferson County,” Spieckerman wrote to the PUD commissioners.

“Furthermore, I can apply this knowledge to the pending decision as to whether or not to proceed with the steps for the acquisition of the electrical distribution assets.”

Electricity takeover

PUD is now considering taking over the East Jefferson County electricity franchise owned by Puget Sound Energy, part of the power authority that Jefferson County voters granted the PUD in a November 2008 election.

Spieckerman who earned his bachelor’s degree in ceramic engineering in 1965 and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh, has served on the Port Townsend Planning Commission, Port Townsend City Hall design committee, Jefferson County Economic Development Council as co-chair, the county Community Infrastructure Fund committee and the Port Townsend Energy Committee.

This appointee will serve from the date of appointment until the November 2010 general election.

PUD serves 3,500 water customers and 200 sewer connections.

Commissioner benefits are a monthly salary of $1,000, per diem at a rate of $90 per meeting and medical coverage.

The PUD commissioner has regularly scheduled meetings on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Special meetings are called as needed.

Applications for the PUD commissioner position can be hand-delivered to the PUD office at 230 Chimacum Road, or mailed to PUD No. 1, P.O. Box 929, Port Hadlock, WA 98339.

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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.